Vegetable Garden Hoop House That Glides Open Closed

Ever heard of a hoop house? Well, if you are a gardener you will know that a hoop house can add months to your growing season. A hoop house is a structure, kind of like a greenhouse; that fits over a garden bed to provide shelter from harsh weather and trap heat from the sun inside to keep plants warmer. In some areas, a hoop house can make the difference between having fresh veggies year round or having a winter gap in production. Wouldn't you love to eat fresh greens from your garden in the middle of winter?

Anyone who has used a hoop house will know that they can make it tricky to weed and harvest. Clear plastic covering is often staked into the ground to keep it from blowing off in the wind. Having to pull out and re-stake the covering every time you need to tend to your plants is a hassle and also risks tearing the plastic. Alternatively with a larger enough hoop house a gardener can crawl inside, underneath the covering, to tend to the plants. This can be hard on the knees and back, especially when there is a lot of weeding to be done.

Here is a simple solution to the problem that you can build yourself with a few tools and supplies. If you have a raised garden bed with a wooden frame you can easily create a sliding hoop house frame that will also easy access to your plants. Not only will this allow you to get at your plants more easily but it also solves the problem of overheating the plants on warmer days. Rather than having to dismantle the hoop house to let the heat out, with this design you can simply slide the hoop house to one side. Your plants and your back will appreciate this clever design.